The Changing Nature of Turkey’s International Policy

This policy brief examines the evolution of Turkey's international policy from a defensive, Western-oriented stance to an activist approach characterized by a desire for independence and an increasing emphasis on Islamic identity.

• Turkey has shifted from a defensive, status quo foreign policy focused on Western orientation and EU membership toward a more activist and independent stance. While EU negotiations dominated until approximately 2010, Turkey now emphasizes being an "independent power" at the center of events rather than acting as a bridge between East and West.
• The current Turkish government has increasingly integrated Islam into its domestic and international political discourse. This sectarian shift has led Turkey to take rigid sides in regional conflicts, which the author argues has caused the country to lose its status as a trusted regional intermediary and a model of democracy for other Islamic states.
• Economically, Turkey's GDP ranking has remained around 18th since the late 1990s. While it possesses a resilient financial sector and strategic advantages as an energy hub—evidenced by Russia favoring pipelines through Turkish territory over the Southern Stream project in Bulgaria—the economy remains fragile due to a large current-account deficit.
• Turkey's engagement with the developing world, particularly in Africa, is driven by economic cooperation and a discourse of compassion. Funding is often allocated based on identity-based relationships, with Somalia receiving privileged support. However, this cooperation focuses heavily on humanitarian assistance, health, and education, while neglecting productive sectors like industry and agriculture.
• Turkey participates in several international and regional groupings to exercise leadership and express its views, including the G-20, the D-8 (a group of eight developing Islamic countries), and MIKTA (comprising Mexico, Indonesia, Republic of Korea, Turkey, and Australia). Despite this, the document notes a general mistrust of multilateral processes and a lack of attention to global public goods, such as climate change measures.

APA

Arda, M. (2015). The Changing Nature of Turkey’s International Policy. South African Institute of International Affairs. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Policy-Insights-8.pdf

Chicago

Arda, Mehmet. The Changing Nature of Turkey’s International Policy. South African Institute of International Affairs, 2015. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Policy-Insights-8.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Arda |first1=Mehmet |title=The Changing Nature of Turkey’s International Policy |publisher=South African Institute of International Affairs |date=8 March 2015 |url=https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Policy-Insights-8.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{arda2015changing, author = {Arda, Mehmet}, title = {{The Changing Nature of Turkey’s International Policy}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2015}, month = mar, url = {https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Policy-Insights-8.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }